Time to celebrate Sloan’s Scream

COLLEGE STATION — As another basketball season at Reed Arena winds up, it’s time to celebrate my favorite addition to the digs.

No, I’m not talking about the ribbon boards or the center video screen — those all have been in place for a couple of years.

I’m talking about The Scream.

I’m not usually a fan of long video introductions with the lights down in an arena, but A&M’s this season featured a pretty good buildup. To The Scream.

Fans who’ve attended games there this season know exactly what I’m talking about — and it’s grown into the most anticipated part of the pre-game.

As the video reaches its climax, Aggies guard Donald Sloan slaps his hands together, powder flies in the air and he lets out a yell that shakes Reed’s rafters.

It’s a pretty cool lead-in to tip off, and as it’s been shown this season more and more fans have joined with Sloan in the bellow.

Guard Josh Carter explained to me Friday that before the season A&M’s video department asked who’d like to volunteer for The Scream. Sloan, as we’d all expect him to, stepped to the plate.

“It’s turned out to be a hit,” Carter said, smiling.

Students have particularly taken to The Scream, and even tear up newspapers into little pieces in anticipation of the climax.

“When they throw that paper in the air,” Carter said, “it’s pretty cool.”

A&M basketball sports information director Colin Killian said the A&M video department’s Buddy Kimberlin came up with the idea for the grand finale to the video intro.

“It’s creative,” Killian said.

And it’s practically got the frenzied crowd wanting to suit up right before tip off.

I say make it a tradition — and pass The Scream along to the next guy worthy of pulling it off. Sloan’s a junior, so he should update The Scream for next season. After that? Who’s the next to be worthy of the bellow?